Chapter Five
As Katie sat with her group of best friends, there was a silent tension between them all. No one dared mention the fact that Katie would be going on to the pros, while Angelina would remain in the minor leagues, but then again, it had been the whole reason why they had gotten together in the first place. To celebrate Katie's moving on up in the Quidditch world.
They were seated in a famous Italian themed restraunt located high in the clouds. The party of six was only able to get in because of Fred and George. The ladies were even given free drinks in honor of Katie's recent successes. This action seemed to piss Angelina off ever so slightly, but she said nothing about it, only enjoyed the free drinks.
A little too much.
After Angleina set down her fifth glass of wine, she leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest, "Why so silent everyone? We're here to celebrate, aren't we? Katie's joining up with," she glanced at Katie, somewhat struggling to remember what team her friend had been accepted to, "Chuddley Cannons, right?"
Katie nodded silently, unsure if she should speak or not.
Angelina grinned, "Yeah-- The Chuddley Cannons." She picked up her empty glass and raised it in a toast, then looked at her party, expecting them all to do the same. When they did, she spoke once more, "I'll leave my glass empty since I've had enough for one night, but to Katie! Good luck with the Cannons."
Relieved grins broke out over everyone's faces, they had been expecting a drunken brawl between the two women. The wine glasses clinged together as they met, and all repeated Angelina's words of encouragement to Katie.
"Oh!" Fred said, "And another toast to Katie, but this time, to Katie and Lee." He wiggled his eyebrows at the pair, causing Lee to shake his head and laugh, and Katie to blush and smile innocently.
Alicia chimed in, her glass still raised, "Oh yes, how could I have possibly forgotten. It's only been in every single English magazine about three billion or so times."
Laughter rang out from the table before there was another cling of glasses and best wishes to the engaged couple. After that, dinner was good.
Real good.
That night, after they said their farewells, the six split up into three groups. Fred headed off with George, directing their steps through a well lit alley, while Alicia guided her not completely sober step sister away from the engaged couple. Angelina waved awkwardly as she was pulled away, and Alicia gave a half hearted parting as she dragged the taller woman away.
Katie and Lee faced each other, grinning.
"I had fun," Katie finally said after a moment, "After the first half hour, everything went rather well."
Lee nodded his agreement, "Yes, all went well. But I was wondering if you would like for me to accompany you home? I should hate to think that some desperate soul would attempt to sweep you off your feet and carry you away the night before your big signing day."
Katie swatted playfully at him, "I can take care of myself, Lee. You should know that by now."
"Well, goodnight then," he said, smiling armly at her, before gently brushing his lips against her's. "I love you, Katherine."
It always surprised her when Lee called her by her actual name, it was such a rare, intamiate moment shared between the two. She smiled as he pulled back. "Well," she said silently, brushing a strand of hair away from her blue eyes which rested easily on Lee's face, "I suppose this is where we go our seperate ways."
Lee nodded, "Until tomorrow, then." He slowly began to back away, in the direction of his own flat.
"Until then," Katie said, still smiling at her fiance. At the thought that she, Katie Bell, was actually engaged, shivers ran up and down her spine and her smile brightened considerably. Then a sudden thought hit her, causing her to stop in her tracks. She hadn't told Lee that she loved him, though he had confessed his love to her.
She turned around to find him, only to discover that he had vanished into the night.
Crystal hadn't changed much over the course of five years. She still looked about nineteen or so years old, had the same anti-social air about her, and was easily recognized amongst many people throughout the world as that American girl that played chaser for Puddlemere United.
Even though the last time she did play chaser for the afore mentioned team was two years ago, shortly after Micheal DeWinter's arrival to the Quidditch scene.
Thank Merlin's beard that she had left when she did.
Recently, Crystal was up to bigger and better things. Such as coaching the Chuddley Cannon's, who had just recently accquired a new chaser and hopefully a new keeper as well.
That was her mission, to force Oliver Wood to accept the opened position as keeper for the Cannons. If he didn't, Crystal would more than likely quit her job on the spot and go back to the States, never to be seen again. The American always got what she wanted and was hell bent if she didn't.
As she came upon the door to Oliver's flat, she prayed that the young man would accept the job without question so that she wouldn't have to resign as coach before the season even started. That would defaintely make the headlines in the Daily Prophet if nothing else.
She took a deep breath as she raised her hand and knocked on the door in a not so polite manner. The bloke would certainly know that it was her practically pounding down his front door, completely disreguarding the knocker.
"Yes?"
Crystal opened her mouth to speak, but quickly clamped it shut upon realizing that Oliver wasn't some busty red headed dressed scandelously in an old Quidditch robe. Once again, Crystal opened her mouth and this time, was able to speak, "I uh-- Does Oliver Wood live here?"
The red head smiled and nodded, moving to one side, "Come right on in. I'll get him for you."
Crystal stepped into the flat cautiously, her eyes somewhat narrowed. Was this woman one of Oliver's mulitple conquests she had read so much about?
A moment later, the woman returned with a half sleeping Oliver in tow. At seeing Crystal, Oliver squinted, trying to make sure he wasn't halluncenating from one too many drinks of firewhiskey. "Crystal?"
"Nice to see you too, kid," Crystal said with a smirk. She crossed her arms over her chest and observed her former teammate. To put it lightly, the young man looked absolutely horrible. His new lifestyle was a wretched one, and Crystal was positively certain that she would be able to bring back that lovable Oliver Wood that everyone loved and she hated.
She had to be able to pull this off. Her career depended on it.
"I was wondering," she began weakly, shifting ever so slightly, "I mean, if you weren't doing anything later tonight if you wanted to, oh I don't know go--"
"Go out with you?" Oliver questionned, cocking a brow at his former teammate. "Are you feeling well, Crystal?"
Crystal rolled her eyes, "I don't want to go out with you, idiot. I want to know if you want to sign with Cannons tonight at our banquet, and to be perfectly honest, you have to accept because you owe me big time." She nodded as if the matter was closed.
Oliver shook his head and turned around to leave the room, "I don't have time for your warpped, American humour."
"I'm serious, Oliver," Crystal said with a hint of desperation in her voice. "Listen," she began defeatedly, "I don't want any other person but you to be a part of my team. So get your head out of your ass, sober up and get dressed so you can just sign with us alright?"
It took the slightly sober scottsman to register what the young woman had said. Once he did, he glanced over to Beverly who had remained surprsing silent throughout the entire ordeal. He looked back at Crystal while rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, uhm--" he shrugged, unsure how to respond. "What do I wear?"
Katie was rather impressed with how the banquet hall was decorated, though she felt as if things were a tad too orange for her liking. Lights illuminated the hall, and each table was finely set, complete with name tags. There was one head table where the owner of the team, the coach, the captain and the entire business side of the Chuddley Cannons would be seated, everyone else would be seated at the finely set, round tables.
Being that only the best of the best and anyone who knew anyone would be there, the event was a formal one. Katie wore baby blue dress robes that clung to all the right places on her small, but muscular frame. Her blonde hair was pulled back with gemstone studded hair pins, and she couldn't help the smile that graced her features. It was difficult enough to get into the professional leagues, but it was three times more difiicult for a chaser to become pro, especially women.
"You look absolutely wonderful," Lee whispered into her ear, lacing his fingers with her own and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "They'll be dolts not to see that."
The pair of them took their seats at table where the words Katherine A. Bell and Guests were printed on a small card. The hall was quickly being filled with various members of the team as well as family, friends, special guests and those normally expected to attend such events, such as reporters for every Quidditch magazine in the entire world and reporters for the Quibbler and the Daily Prophet.
"I can't exactly say why, but this is making me so nervous," Katie whispered to Lee as she gathered her robes before her and seated herself. "Do you think my life will be like this from now on?"
Lee grinned as he sat down himself, "You mean to say you aren't in the public eye already?"
Moments later they were joined by Mr. and Mrs. Bell. While Mr. Bell only smiled politely, often avoiding conversation revolving around Quidditch, Mrs. Bell was simply overjoyed at the fact that her daughter, out of so many, had been selected as a starting chaser. The woman chattered endlessly with anyone who dared listen.
Half after seven, the hall was completely filled. Only two seats remained empty, and the fact that one of the seats belonged to Oliver Wood made Crystal very very nervous.
Where was the bloody prat? He had agreed to come to the banquet and to sign with the Chuddley Cannons!
Crystal's eyes narrowed as silence began to fall about the occupants of the hall. She didn't see hair or robe of the scottsman, and the wretched dinner was about to start. She shifted nervously in her seat, causing the captain of the team to look at her curiously.
"You alright, Crys?" Seaver, Cannon captain, asked. She was often difficult to understand with her thick New Zeland accent, but she was always able to get her point across with facial expression and body language. She gently put an arm on her new coach's shoulder. "Lookin' for someone special?"
Ha, Crystal thought bitterly. Special, that's certainly a way to describe Oliver Wood.
Little did she know that the scottsman she was fretting over was only a few precious yards from his destination with Beverly. Both adults taking their sweet time in making it to the banquet.
"Why is it men never want to stop and ask for directions?" Beverly muttered, heaving a large sigh and rest her hands on her hips. "We're going to be late because your of your male ego."
Oliver shook his head, "You don't know what you're talking about, Bev. I know exactly where we're going, and I know where we are."
"Then why did we end up in an Egyptian tomb?"
"I told you alread," he said impatiently, "I wanted to see how my great great great great - a few more greats- Uncle Silous was fairing up in his tomb!"
"You're bloody Scottish!" She tried to hide her amusement as his lame excuse and shook her head. In the distance she saw a cloaked figure coming toward them. She rolled her eyes at her date then waved to the cloaked person. "Excuse me! Could you please help us. we're a little--"
The person removed the hood of the cloak, revealing a rather shrimpy looking wizard who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. At seeing the man's face Beverly gasped. "Oh my goodness! Charles, is that you?"
Oliver turned around to see who Beverly was talking to, and cocked an eyebrow at the stranger.
The little man grinned and nodded, hurrying forward and embracing Beverly in a deep and meaningful hug. After they broke the tight embrace, their lips crashed togather, causing Oliver to stare open mouthed.
Something told him that he would be spending the next few nights alone until he could get another gold digger or bed warmer. He finally looked away from the scene playing out before him, knowing how rude it was to stare. A moment later, he felt Beverly's hand resting gently on his shoulder. Though she said nothing, her eyes told the whole story.
Oliver grinned weakly, "Go ahead, Bev. Atleast one of us should be happy." To the small man known to Beverly as Charles, he said, "Take care of her, buddy."
"Of course I will," the small man piped up. "My wife gets nothing but the best of care." And the couple was off, practically skipping off into the distance.
Again, Oliver gaped openly.
Beverly was married? How could he have possibly known? Not only did she never speak of her home life, but she never wore her ring. Then again, he had never bothered to ask. He had just kind of assumed.
Not only was Oliver Wood now lost, but he was alone.
Thunder began to roll in, and lightnening illuminated the area. A moment later, rain pelted from the dark sky, soaking the young man through and through.
Not only was Oliver Wood now lost and alone, but he was wet.
Soaking wet.
"Hello, handsome!" A female voice called from a nearby window.
Oliver didn't bother to look. With his luck, it was possibly some figment of his imagination.
The voice called out again. "Why don't you come in here and dry off a bit?"
Alright kiddies..
Good news is that I did update
Bad news is, I have no clue as to when I will update again. I have no clue as to when because of the fact, my mother might not let me for a while, because I'm supposed to be going to college in the fall and I need money so I have to fill out these things called scholarships.. One of them I had to write a story, but it was extremely brilliant if I do say so myself.. Anywho..
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I will have to do the whole personal responses thing at a later date because I'm at school and the band director is looking at me like I'm on crack, so I have to bounce.
Later Days
Richi Sama